Device for machining band-like or plate-like material

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device for machining band-like or plate-like material ( 1 ), especially for punching, notching and forming it, the device comprising the body ( 2 ) of the device, at least one tool holder ( 3 ), most preferably a gap frame tool holder, between the upper branch ( 4 ) and lower branch ( 5 ) of which the material ( 1 ) to be processed is arranged to be fed, and to the upper branch ( 4 ) of which tool holder ( 3 ) is connected an upper tool magazine ( 6 ) comprising a plurality of upper tools ( 8 ), and to the lower branch ( 5 ) of which tool holder ( 3 ) is connected a lower tool magazine ( 7 ) comprising lower tools ( 9 ) corresponding to the said upper tools ( 8 ), a support means ( 10 ) for supporting the tool holder ( 3 ) movably on the body ( 2 ) of the device, a transfer means ( 11 ) for positioning the tool holder ( 3 ) in a transverse direction (B) with respect to the direction of feed (A) of the material ( 1 ) to be processed, and a power means ( 12 ) for effecting the machining movement for the tool comprised of the upper tool ( 8 ) and the lower tool ( 9 ), which is in the tool holder ( 3 ). A joint buffer disc ( 13 ) for directing the machining force is provided for the tool holders ( 3 ) comprised in the device, the buffer disc being moved by the said power means ( 12 ). Between the buffer disc ( 12 ) and the upper tool magazine ( 6 ) is arranged a movable spacer ( 14 ) for directing the force via the said spacer ( 14 ) at an individual upper tool ( 8 ) in the upper tool magazine ( 6 ).

The invention relates to a device for machining band-like or plate-likematerial, especially for punching, notching and forming it, the devicecomprising the body of the device, at least one tool holder, mostpreferably a gap frame tool holder, between the upper and lower branchesof which the material to be machined is arranged to be fed, and to theupper branch of which tool holder is connected an upper tool magazinecomprising a plurality of upper tools, and to the lower branch of whichtool holder is connected a lower tool magazine comprising lower toolscorresponding to the said upper tools, a support means for supportingthe tool holder movably on the body of the device, a transfer means forpositioning the tool holder in a transverse direction with respect tothe direction of feed of the material to be processed, and a power meansfor effecting the machining movement for the tool comprised of the uppertool and the lower tool, which is in the tool holder.

In an earlier device of this type invented by the applicant andrepresenting the prior art, a hydraulic power means is provided for eachindividual tool in the tool magazine. The operation of a selected toolis started by activating the power means located by the tool inquestion. The power means and the tool holder are connected to a jointsupport means, which can in turn be moved with respect to the materialto be processed, in order to make a hole or the like at a desired point.

The aim of the invention is to simplify the known device and to providemore wide-ranging possibilities for fitting tools in the tool magazineand for replacing the tool magazines. A further aim of the invention isto keep the device as narrow as possible, when viewed in the directionof feed of the material.

This aim is achieved by means of a device, which is characterized inthat a joint buffer disc for directing the machining force is providedfor the tool holders comprised in the device, the buffer disc beingmoved by the said power means, and that between the buffer disc and theupper tool magazine is arranged a movable spacer for directing the forcevia the said spacer at an individual upper tool in the upper toolmagazine. A programmable transfer apparatus is preferably arranged formoving of the spacer.

In order to simplify the transfer apparatus, a preferable arrangement issuch that the transfer apparatus and the tool holder are connected to ajoint support means, which is supported movably on the body of thedevice.

In order to make the transfer apparatus as narrow as possible in thedirection of feed of the material, the arrangement in one preferredembodiment of the invention is such that the transfer apparatuscomprises a part effecting linear motion and a part effecting rotationalmotion. In such a case, the most preferable arrangement is such that thepart effecting linear motion and the part effecting rotational motionare arranged to rotate together with respect to the body of the device.

For each tool holder is provided its own spacer. In this way, any toolin the tool holder can be activated by moving the spacer to the tool inquestion.

A particularly advantageous arrangement is one where the devicecomprises two tool holders, in which case the tool holders are arrangedon opposite sides of the material to be processed.

The invention is described in greater detail in the following, withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which

FIG. 1 shows the device relating to the invention as a diagrammatic sideview.

FIG. 2 shows a top view of the device relating to the invention at thelocation of arrow II in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a section along line III—III in FIG. 1.

FIG. 1 shows diagrammatically a device for machining band-like orplate-like material 1, for example, steel plate. The device is intendedespecially for punching, notching and forming the material 1. The devicemay operate as an independent device or as a part of a more extensiveproduction line.

The device comprises a body, marked generally with reference numeral 2,and a feeding means (not shown) for feeding the material 1 to beprocessed periodically with respect to the body 2, in the direction ofarrow A (FIG. 2).

The material 1 to be processed is arranged to be fed between the upperbranch 4 and the lower branch 5 of the tool holder 3, in FIG. 1 a gapframe tool holder. In the upper branch 4 of the tool holder 3 isincorporated an upper tool magazine 6, which comprises a plurality ofupper tools 8. In the lower branch 5 of the tool holder 3 isincorporated a corresponding lower tool set 7, which comprises lowertools 9 corresponding to the said upper tools 8. The upper and lowertool magazines 6, 7 with their tools 8, 9 can be easily replaced, ifnecessary.

The device comprises most preferably two tool holders 3 which arearranged on opposite sides of the material 1 to be processed, as shownin FIG. 1.

The tool holder 3 is supported movably on the body 2 of the device bymeans of the support means 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The tool holder 3can be easily detached from the support means 10 and replaced by anothertool holder 3.

For each unit formed by a tool holder 3 and a support means 10 isarranged a transfer means 11 for positioning the tool holder in atransverse direction B with respect to the direction of feed A of thematerial to be processed. The transfer means 11 may be, for example, aball nut/screw combination.

In the body 2 of the device is incorporated a power means 12 foreffecting the machining movement for the tool comprised of the uppertool 8 and the lower tool 9 which is in the tool holder 3. The powermeans 12 may be, for example, a hydraulic cylinder or a link mechanism,which directs the machining force to the tool via the buffer disc 13.

A joint buffer disc 13 for directing the machining force is provided forthe tool holders 3 comprised in the device, the buffer disc being movedby the said power means 12. Between the buffer disc 13 and the uppertool magazine 6 is arranged a movable spacer 14 for directing the forcevia the said spacer 14 to an individual upper tool 8 in the upper toolmagazine 6. The force will thus be transmitted from the buffer disc 13to an individual upper tool 8 only when the spacer 14 is between thebuffer disc 13 and the said individual upper tool. The spacer 14 may becomprised of any sufficiently strong piece by means of which thecompressive force can be transmitted. For each tool holder 3 is arrangedits own spacer 14.

A programmable transfer apparatus 15 is provided for moving the spacer14. The transfer apparatus 15 and the tool holder 3 are connected to ajoint support means 10 which is, in turn, supported movably on the body2 of the device.

In the example shown in the drawing, the transfer apparatus 15 comprisesa part 16 effecting linear motion and a part 17 effecting rotationalmotion, as appears best from FIG. 2.

The part 16 effecting linear motion and the part 17 effecting rotationalmotion are arranged to rotate together with respect to the body 2 of thedevice. In the example shown in FIG. 2, this has been implemented insuch a way that the part 17 effecting revolving movement is formed by amotor 18, which rotates a belt pulley 20 by means of a gear 19. The beltpulley 20 in turn moves a belt 21, which is arranged to run via astationary (=non-rotating) belt pulley (not shown) arranged on thesupport means 10, whereby rotating the belt pulley 20 causes the entiretransfer apparatus 15 to rotate with respect to the support means 10.The motor 18, the gear 19 and the belt pulley 20 thus move with thesupport means 10.

The part 16 effecting linear motion may be implemented by means of alinear motor, which consists of a primary part 22 and a secondary part23. The linear motion may obviously also be realized by means of, forexample, a screw and nut drive.

The device functions in the following manner.

The power and movement from the power means 12 are transmitted to thetool 8 by means of the spacer 14. The spacer 14 is moved by means of thetransfer apparatus programmatically to the tool 8 selected each time.When the buffer disc 13 moves, the material 1 being processed remainsbetween the upper tool 8 and the lower tool 9, whereby a hole isperforated in the material 1, or a notch is made in it, or it is formedin accordance with the shape of the tools 8, 9.

The buffer disc 13 is returned by means of the power means 12 to itsoriginal position, whereby the cycle ends. When the buffer disc 13 is inits starting position, the tool holder 3 is moved by means of thetransfer means 11 and the material to be processed is moved in directionA, so that the desired tool 8, 9 can be positioned in the desiredposition with respect to the material 1 to be processed. The transfermeans 11 is fixed to the body 2 of the device as well as to the supportmeans 10 in order to effect their mutual movement in direction B.

The device can be used in such a way that one tool is activated in bothtool holders 3 simultaneously. It is, however, also possible to makesuch an arrangement that a tool in one tool holder 3 only will beactivated, while the spacer 14 in the other tool holder 3 is positionedin such a way that it is not located by the tool.

1. A device for machining band-like or plate-like material (1),especially for punching, notching and forming it, the device comprising:the body (2) of the device, at least one tool holder (3), mostpreferably a gap frame tool holder, between an upper branch (4) andlower branch (5) of which the material (1) to be processed is arrangedto be fed, and to the upper branch (4) of which tool holder (3) isconnected an upper tool magazine (6) comprising a plurality of uppertools (8), and to the lower branch (5) of which tool holder (3) isconnected a lower tool magazine (7) comprising lower tools (9)corresponding to the said upper tools (8), a support means (10) forsupporting the tool holder (3) movably on the body (2) of the device, atransfer means (11) for positioning the tool holder (3) in a transversedirection (B) with respect to the direction of feed (A) of the material(1) to be processed, a power means (12) having a buffer disc (13) foreffecting the machining movement for the tool comprised of the uppertool (8) and the lower tool (9), which is in the tool holder (3),between the buffer disc (13) and the upper tool magazine (6) is arrangeda movable spacer (14) for directing the force via the said spacer (14)at an individual upper tool (8) in the upper tool magazine (6), and aprogrammable transfer apparatus (15) is provided for moving the spacer(14), characterized in that the transfer apparatus (15) and the toolholder (3) are connected to a joint support means (10) which issupported movably on the body (2) of the device that the transferapparatus (15) comprises a part (16) effecting linear motion and a part(17) effecting rotational motion and that the part (16) effecting linearmotion and the part (17) effecting rotational movement are arranged torotate together with respect to the body (2) of the device.
 2. A deviceas claimed in claim 1, characterized in that for each tool holder (3) isprovided its own spacer (14).
 3. A device as claimed in claim 1,characterized in that the device comprises two tool holders (3), andthat the tool holders (3) are arranged on opposite sides of the material(1) to be processed.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized inthat a joint buffer disc (13) for directing the machining force isprovided for the tool holders (3) comprised in the device, the bufferdisc being moved by the said power means (12).
 5. A device as claimed inclaim 1, characterized in that for each tool holder (3) is provided itsown transfer apparatus (15).